The Great Basin Institutehttps://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org
Furthering Eco-Literacy and Resource Management Across the WestTue, 13 Mar 2018 18:43:46 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.14Preserving Cultural Resources and Ensuring Public Safety in Nevada’s Abandoned Mine Landshttps://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/preserving-cultural-resources-ensuring-public-safety-nevadas-abandoned-mine-lands/
https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/preserving-cultural-resources-ensuring-public-safety-nevadas-abandoned-mine-lands/#respondThu, 08 Mar 2018 18:43:18 +0000https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/?p=10095Nevada is riddled with abandoned mines that can prove to be extremely dangerous, and these are the subject of an ongoing effort by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Nevada Division of Minerals (NDOM). Of some 200,000 abandoned mines in the state, it has been estimated that a full quarter (50,000) are potentially hazardous to the public. Mines are...

]]>Nevada is riddled with abandoned mines that can prove to be extremely dangerous, and these are the subject of an ongoing effort by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Nevada Division of Minerals (NDOM). Of some 200,000 abandoned mines in the state, it has been estimated that a full quarter (50,000) are potentially hazardous to the public. Mines are being closed to reduce the threat to the well-being of recreational users of public lands and to enhance the wildlife habitats at these sites. Closures, however, do provoke concern about the cultural resources of the sites. Archaeological artifacts and cultural features associated with these sites can provide an insight into Nevada’s rich mining history. Consequently, operating under the National Historic Preservation Act, GBI personnel have assisted the BLM and NDOM in the meticulous task of documenting these resources. GBI’s Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) team visited each site tagged by the BLM for closure in order to describe and photograph mining hazards and any cultural resources that would be impacted during closure. The team recommended approaches to hazards, assessing the impact of different methods, including the use of heavy equipment to push waste rock into the mine opening. They also assessed the impact that closure methods might have on wildlife activity at the sites.

]]>https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/preserving-cultural-resources-ensuring-public-safety-nevadas-abandoned-mine-lands/feed/0GBI’s Work on the Lombard Trail Continues to Reap Benefits for Challis, Idahohttps://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/gbis-work-lombard-trail-continues-reap-benefits-challis-idaho/
https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/gbis-work-lombard-trail-continues-reap-benefits-challis-idaho/#respondTue, 13 Feb 2018 22:49:32 +0000https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/?p=10022In 2010, the Great Basin Institute collaborated with the Challis Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation to develop the Lombard Trail, connecting Challis, Idaho to Bayhorse Ghost Town, a mining site founded in 1877. The trail was created specifically for recreational use by ATV and side-by-side riders, and has been...

]]>In 2010, the Great Basin Institute collaborated with the Challis Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation to develop the Lombard Trail, connecting Challis, Idaho to Bayhorse Ghost Town, a mining site founded in 1877. The trail was created specifically for recreational use by ATV and side-by-side riders, and has been a great success and a boost to tourism in the area, with as many as 7000 users in the last year.
For an update on the Lombard Trail from the Missoulian, click HERE.

]]>https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/gbis-work-lombard-trail-continues-reap-benefits-challis-idaho/feed/0GBI Supports the Bureau of Reclamation’s Fight Against Invasive Quagga and Zebra Musselshttps://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/gbi-supports-bureau-reclamations-fight-invasive-quagga-zebra-mussels/
https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/gbi-supports-bureau-reclamations-fight-invasive-quagga-zebra-mussels/#respondWed, 10 Jan 2018 22:16:48 +0000https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/?p=10003Quagga and zebra mussels are invasive species that pose a risk to Bureau of Reclamation reservoirs. Although they can cause millions of dollars in structural and environmental damage, researchers have, alas, not yet developed a method of eradicating the species. Consequently, the key to control is early detection of the mussels. Water samples are collected at the reservoirs then sent...

]]>Quagga and zebra mussels are invasive species that pose a risk to Bureau of Reclamation reservoirs. Although they can cause millions of dollars in structural and environmental damage, researchers have, alas, not yet developed a method of eradicating the species. Consequently, the key to control is early detection of the mussels. Water samples are collected at the reservoirs then sent to the lab to be examined for the presence of the mussels’ larvae, called veligers. If veligers are found, DNA tests are conducted to identify the type of mussel. This early detection and identification prepares policy makers to manage the funding and activity needed to combat the potential structure damage caused by these species.

GBI interns assigned to the Reclamation Detection Laboratory for Exotic Species (RDLES) assist with various tasks, including water sample collection and data processing, and have also helped with research on boat inspection and decontamination methods. These efforts contribute to the BOR’s ongoing work to control the spread of non-native organisms in each of the seventeen western states in which the organization manages water.

]]>https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/gbi-supports-bureau-reclamations-fight-invasive-quagga-zebra-mussels/feed/0AmeriCorps Interns Work with USFWS Seeing to the Well-Being and Continuity of the California Condor Populationhttps://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/americorps-interns-work-usfws-seeing-well-continuity-california-condor-population/
https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/americorps-interns-work-usfws-seeing-well-continuity-california-condor-population/#respondThu, 30 Nov 2017 22:14:16 +0000https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/?p=9984Since 2014, GBI AmeriCorps interns have worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex to manage the California Condor Recovery Program in Southern California. This work involves monitoring nests and tracking newly fledged chicks, as well as trap and release activities to assess the health of these majestic but critically endangered birds. California Condors...

]]>Since 2014, GBI AmeriCorps interns have worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex to manage the California Condor Recovery Program in Southern California. This work involves monitoring nests and tracking newly fledged chicks, as well as trap and release activities to assess the health of these majestic but critically endangered birds.

California Condors typically begin courting one another in the fall, and one pair has provided us with a front row seat to this behavior. Condor #20 began strutting for Condor #654 while the pair were in temporary captivity for their bi-annual check up at Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge.

]]>https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/americorps-interns-work-usfws-seeing-well-continuity-california-condor-population/feed/0GBI Joins the Fight to Reduce Fire Risks in Idahohttps://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/gbi-joins-fight-reduce-fire-risks-idaho/
https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/gbi-joins-fight-reduce-fire-risks-idaho/#respondThu, 02 Nov 2017 19:47:40 +0000https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/?p=9939Wildfire in the Great Basin continues to proliferate, and GBI continues its efforts to reduce risks throughout the region. In Idaho, working alongside the BLM Boise District Office, GBI Research Associates have worked to promote and implement Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation (ESR) projects. Intense fires destroy native fauna, as well as the seed bank stored in the soil, which provides...

Wildfire in the Great Basin continues to proliferate, and GBI continues its efforts to reduce risks throughout the region. In Idaho, working alongside the BLM Boise District Office, GBI Research Associates have worked to promote and implement Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation (ESR) projects.

Intense fires destroy native fauna, as well as the seed bank stored in the soil, which provides an opening for invasive species to take root. Worse, these invasive plants dry out and provide ideal new fuel, creating a “positive feedback loop” for increasingly destructive fires. ESR seeks to disrupt this loop, through a number of methods, principally though the reseeding of native fauna and removal of invasive species. Moreover, ongoing monitoring assures the continuing health and recovery of a burn area.

Planted sagebrush seedling with good vigor at the Soda fire.

In Idaho, GBI crews have conducted monitoring of burn areas, on the lookout for invasive and noxious weeds like cheatgrass, yellow starthistle, and Canada thistle. Additionally, they work to establish healthy populations of native sagebrush and bitterbrush, distributing seeds and seedlings where most desired. Of course, an ecosystem is more than its plants, so GBI’s RAs have also kept busy monitoring weather stations, learning about Boise-area birds, and contributing to efforts to manage tamarisk beetle populations, all in an effort to promote ecological health and public safety.

]]>https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/gbi-joins-fight-reduce-fire-risks-idaho/feed/0Textile Conservation Specialist Contributes to Scotty’s Castle Restorationhttps://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/textile-conservation-specialist-contributes-scottys-castle-restoration/
https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/textile-conservation-specialist-contributes-scottys-castle-restoration/#respondTue, 10 Oct 2017 21:58:09 +0000https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/?p=9916GBI recently brought on textile conservation specialist Heather Hodges to conduct some rather specialized work at Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley National Park: research, documentation, examination and treatment of two tapestries and one textile. A red velvet textile hanging with floral cross-stitch embroidered appliques overall, a silk and metallic trim around all edges, and metallic fringe along the bottom edge....

]]>GBI recently brought on textile conservation specialist Heather Hodges to conduct some rather specialized work at Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley National Park: research, documentation, examination and treatment of two tapestries and one textile.

A red velvet textile hanging with floral cross-stitch embroidered appliques overall, a silk and metallic trim around all edges, and metallic fringe along the bottom edge. This hangs in the Great Hall on a balcony railing above the fountain. Assessed as being in fair to poor condition.

A tapestry depicting a scene from “Don Quixote”: Don Quixote falling off his horse, a turbaned man at left ready to catch him, and a man mounted on a horse at right. Usually hung on west wall of the second floor gallery, but has in the past been on display on the north wall of the lower music room. Assessed as being in good condition.

A tapestry depicting a scene from “Don Quixote”: Don Quixote and Sancho Panza meeting Dulcinea. Usually hung on the north wall of the lower music room. Likely dating back to the 17th Assessed as being in good condition.

Hodges conducted extensive research on Scotty’s Castle furnishings and consulted with the personnel of several textile conservation labs. She then began the painstaking inspections of the artifacts, documenting weak or fragile areas, deterioration of materials, previous conservation efforts, and distinct markings. Additionally, fiber analysis was accomplished using optical microscopy. Only then could the complex and time-consuming work of preservation begin.

Click HERE for more information on Scotty’s Castle, which is currently closed for flood repair.

]]>https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/celebrating-gbi-us-bureau-of-reclamation-research-associate-partnership-hoover-dam-construction-footage-circa-1936/feed/0Recreation of 1882 Mount Trumbull lithograph sheds light on landscape evolutionhttps://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/recreation-1882-mount-trumbull-lithograph-sheds-light-landscape-evolution/
https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/recreation-1882-mount-trumbull-lithograph-sheds-light-landscape-evolution/#respondTue, 15 Aug 2017 21:22:57 +0000https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/?p=9856A lithograph from Mount Trumbull created during John Wesley Powell’s 1882 expedition provided an unusual adventure for GBI Research Associates. Todd Miller and Julianne Renner, working with the National Park Service, undertook the long, steep hike to the top of Mount Trumbull in order to generate photographic recreations of the lithograph. More than just an exercise in historical reenactment, comparisons...

]]>A lithograph from Mount Trumbull created during John Wesley Powell’s 1882 expedition provided an unusual adventure for GBI Research Associates. Todd Miller and Julianne Renner, working with the National Park Service, undertook the long, steep hike to the top of Mount Trumbull in order to generate photographic recreations of the lithograph. More than just an exercise in historical reenactment, comparisons of the lithograph and photographs illustrate how much the landscape has changed over the years, which may inform land management decisions in the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument. For more information on Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, click HERE.

]]>Great Basin Institute continues to support the BLM Washington in monitoring, surveying and supporting fire restoration efforts. Below is an AP article (8 August 2017) that captures recent fire activity this season Such fire disturbances engage the institute and the BLM in planning efforts to understand impacts to vegetative communities and subsequent attempts to stabilize soil, mitigate erosion, and model changes in range conditions.

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A wildfire burning in dry grasslands in a lowly populated part of central Washington state grew dramatically early Thursday, driven by hot weather and gusty winds, while firefighters gained ground on two smaller fires.

The fire burning northwest of the town of Quincy increased in size from 16 square miles on Wednesday to 74 square miles on Thursday, the state Department of Natural Resources said. It was being fought by 275 firefighters, who had it 20 percent contained.

“Dry and gusty red flag conditions resulted in extreme fire growth in steep and rugged terrain,” the agency said in statement.

The lightning-caused fire started earlier in the week, and roared through ranch land owned by Molly Linville. She took to Facebook to write about the flames burning across her ranch on Tuesday night. But she noted that her cattle and farmhouse all survived.

“I still cannot figure out how they survived,” Linville wrote. “Counting my blessings.”

Meanwhile, firefighters gained the upper hand on a fire burning near Yakima, Washington, which had prompted the mandatory evacuation of about 20 homes, with the occupants of another 100 homes warned to be ready to leave quickly. Fire officials said Thursday afternoon that the fire which had burned about 4.7 square miles was 80 percent contained and that evacuation notices would be reduced Thursday evening, The Yakima Herald-Republic reported.

Another fire burning near Wenatchee, Washington, covered 14 square miles Thursday, was 60 percent contained as of Thursday afternoon. That fire threatened about 80 homes. That fire did not grow overnight or on Thursday, the natural resources agency said.

]]>https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/research-associates-support-fire-restoration-central-washington/feed/0Meadow and Stream Restoration in the Tahoe Basinhttps://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/meadow-and-stream-restoration-in-the-tahoe-basin/
https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/meadow-and-stream-restoration-in-the-tahoe-basin/#commentsThu, 10 Aug 2017 18:03:36 +0000https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/?p=9833The post Meadow and Stream Restoration in the Tahoe Basin appeared first on The Great Basin Institute.
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